Survival rate in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of 389 patients

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. However, treatment options are limited and often inefficient. The aim of this study was to determine current survival rates for patients diagnosed with HCC and to identify prognostic factors, which will help in choosing optimal therapies for individual patients. A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed on 389 patients who were identified through the central tumour registry at our institution from 1998 to 2003. Clinical parameters, treatments received and survival curves from time of diagnosis were analysed. Overall median survival was 11 months. Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed in 80.5% of all patients. A total of 170 patients received transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) and/or percutaneous ethanol injections (PEI) with a median survival rate of 16 months for patients receiving TACE, 11 months for patients receiving PEI and 24 months for patients receiving TACE followed by PEI. Independent negative prognostic parameters for survival were the presence of portal vein thrombosis, advanced liver cirrhosis (Child–Pugh score B or C) and a score of >2. This study will help to estimate survival rates for patients with HCC according to their clinical status at diagnosis and the treatments received

Is inferior vena caval filter an alternative treatment option for geriatric patients that cannot use anticoagulation therapy?

The incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism has been increasing in the elderly because of hypercoagulability associated with aging. Age has also been identified as an independent risk factor for bleeding complications related to anticoagulation therapy. Inferior vena cava filters could be used as alternatives to anticoagulant therapy for the prevention of pulmonary embolism when anticoagulation is either contraindicated or ineffective. Here, we report two geriatric patients who had documented acute DVT and in whom inferior vena caval filter was used because of the patients have a contraindication to use an anticoagulation